Subscribe 
What’s On in Adelaide: April 2026
This is your ultimate guide to what's on in Adelaide this month and beyond.
This month in Adelaide (April 2026), the city is still buzzing with Mad March energy rolling into Easter and AFL Gather Round. The days are warm and the evenings bring cool relief, while the city pulses with food, footy, music, and festival fun. From street feasts and rooftop wine hours, to eco-friendly music fests, theatrical whodunnits, and orchard adventures, you won’t run out of ways to fill your days. Whether you’re a local chasing the season’s buzz or a visitor soaking up a slice of South Australian charm, this is your editor-approved guide to all the highlights. Read on for tickets, dates, and timings.
In This Guide
Editors Picks
Gelato Messina x Shadow Baking Launch, North Adelaide
North Adelaide’s sweet treat game just got turbocharged. Gelato Messina is opening its third Adelaide location alongside Shadow Baking’s second, and together they’re creating one gorgeous dual-brand space at 88 O’Connell Street. The launch brings 40 flavours of Messina magic — plus one very exclusive opening flavour, O’Crumbell Street, featuring croissant gelato swirled with chocolate fudge and caramelised croissant crunch. Available for one week only (or until it disappears). And because restraint was never on the menu, the opening also debuts a first-of-its-kind collab: Shadow Baking brioche stuffed with your choice of Messina gelato — an Italian classic reimagined, the way only these two can do it.
Where: 88 O’Connell Street, North Adelaide
When: From April 17
Best for: Food & drink lovers; New openings; Dessert lovers; Locals
Need to know: Exclusive opening flavour “O’Crumbell Street” available for one week only (or until sold out)
Norwood Food & Wine Festival, Norwood
Norwood’s biggest street party is back, with the Norwood Food & Wine Festival returning to The Parade on April 12th. Held as part of AFL Gather Round, the free festival brings together some of South Australia’s best food, wine, beer and spirits for a full day of feasting. Expect everything from fresh seafood and handmade pasta to flame-cooked favourites from the likes of arkhé, Enoteca Lounge & Cucina and Pseudo Spaghetti, plus live music, cooking demos from the Tasting Australia Kitchen and big screens showing the footy from Norwood Oval.
Where: The Parade, Norwood
When: Sunday, 12 April
Cost: Free entry
Best for: Festivals; Food & drink lovers; Wine lovers; Community events; Live music fans
Festivals & Major Events
Lime Green Festival, Adelaide Uni
Led by the Lime Cordiale brothers alongside triple j, Lime Green Festival is a brand-new music festival that puts the planet front and centre. This fully off-grid, battery-powered festival is and Australian first and is reimagining what live music can look like when sustainability comes first. The lineup brings together Lime Cordiale, The Dreggs, aleksiah, PASH, and a local triple j Unearthed winner, blending national favourites with emerging talent.
Where: Adelaide University Cloisters, 10 Victoria Drive, Adelaide
When: April 18, 2026
Cost: $100 – $180, packages available
Best for: Live Music & Gigs, Beachside Events, Festivals & Major Events, Group Outings, Outdoor Events
AFL Gather Round, Various Locations
From April 9th – 12th, South Australia becomes footy central. AFL Gather Round brings 18 teams, nine games and a state‑wide buzz you can feel from Norwood to the Barossa. Fan zones, street activations, and the Pepsi Collective experience mix with vibrant local hospitality and vineyard views, making every corner feel like a weekend party. In the heart of it all, the Macca’s Footy Festival at Elder Park runs April 10th –13th with free activities for all ages and that iconic 150 m zip line over the River Torrens.
Where: Adelaide, Norwood & Barossa Valley
When: April 9 – 12, 2026
Cost: Free – $155
Best for: Sporting Events, Festivals & Major Events, Family-Friendly Events, Group Outings
Enjoying Our Guide to What’s On in Adelaide this Month? We Think You’d Like…
The Best New Restaurants in Adelaide To Try In 2026
Eat & Drink
Gather & Graze, Kingsford the Barossa
Gather and Graze is setting the tone for a slower kind of afternoon at Peppertree Bar at Kingsford the Barossa. Expect good food, flowing conversation and a chance to connect with the people behind the produce. John and Hannah from Abelsway Farm will join the table, sharing their story over a drink on arrival, seasonal small bites and a relaxed producer-led chat. The afternoon centres on a simple, thoughtfully prepared chicken main, paired with a glass of wine — all designed for lingering a little longer.
Where: Peppertree Bar, Kingsford the Barossa
When: April 18, 12pm
Cost: $60
Best for: Food & drink lovers; Wine lovers; Couples; Group catch-ups; Locals
French at Five, 2KW Rooftop
Golden hour gets a French twist with French at Five on the rooftop at 2KW Bar & Restaurant. Hosted by Jono Hersey, this monthly wine hour pours Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Beaujolais Gamay, Petit Chablis and a mystery premium drop in a laid-back setting made for easy sipping.
Where: 2KW Rooftop, 2 King William Street, Adelaide
When: Last Thursday of every month, 5 – 6pm
Cost: Free tastings
Best for: Wine Lovers, Sunset Seekers, Festivals & Major Events, Casual Meetups
Need to know: Drop in only, no bookings
Art, Culture & Performance
Cluedo, Her Majesty’s Theatre
Everyone’s favourite mystery game, Cluedo gets the theatrical treatment in this laugh-out-loud whodunnit. Expect slapstick moments, quick-fire twists and multiple endings that keep you guessing right to the final reveal.
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre, 58 Grote Street, Adelaide
When: March 21 – April 4, 2026
Cost: $69 – $169
Best for: Theatre & Performance, Family-Friendly Events, Date Night, Cultural Experiences
Need to know: Shows are interactive — audience participation encouraged
Footloose: The Musical
Get ready to kick off your Sunday shoes — Footloose: The Musical is hitting Adelaide for its long-awaited premiere this April, bringing a full-blown ‘80s party to Her Majesty’s Theatre. Following a sold-out Melbourne season, this high-energy revival lands in Australia with an all-Australian cast led by Gabriel Tiller as Ren, the city kid who shakes up a town where dancing is strictly off limits.
Expect big feels, bigger dance numbers, and a soundtrack stacked with iconic hits like Let’s Hear It for the Boy, Almost Paradise, and Holding Out for a Hero. It’s bold, nostalgic, and built for a night out that doesn’t sit still for a second.
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre, 58 Grote Street, Adelaide
When: April 11 – 19
Cost: From $69.90
Best for: Theatre lovers; Live music fans; Couples; Group catch-ups; Nightlife
Markets & Shopping
Wauwi Nights
Light Square / Wauwi is being transformed into a free Friday night takeover in the heart of the West End for Wauwi Nights — think vintage market meets street party, with all the good energy in between. Adelaide City Council are teaming up with My Dead Grandpa to bring curated second-hand finds, Sunny’s Pizza, Nearly Bar, and hands-on lino printing with Kerri Wright, all wrapped into one autumn night out. As the sun sets, the square shifts — with Pierre Honey, Jacqui Bourne and Sam Lavers spinning disco, funk, soul and 70s–80s vinyl throwbacks that’ll make it very hard not to dance.
Where: Light Square / Wauwi, Adelaide
When: Friday 17 April, 5pm–10pm
Cost: Free entry
Best for: Free events; Markets; Live music fans; Group catch-ups; Nightlife
Need to Know: All ages welcome; registration required to secure your spot
New Balance’s ‘Little Treat’ Pop-Up
For one weekend only, New Balance is turning Rundle Mall into a market-style pop-up celebrating “little treat culture.” Expect fresh blooms from Kitler Flowers, custom pastries from Shadow Baking, and exclusive Francesca Jewellery charms alongside the latest 204L sneakers and female-led local businesses in the mix. This is the perfect mix of all our favourite things!
Where: Rundle Mall
When: 11 – 12 April
Price: Available with any NB 204 purchase
Best For: Shopping; Fashion lovers; Markets; Weekend plans; Girls’ nights
Outdoor & Active
Onsen Wellness Collective
From the team behind Onsen — Adelaide’s first sauna, contrast and recovery lounge, comes Onsen Wellness Collective, a first-of-its-kind oceanfront experience at Jimmy Melrose Park on the Glenelg Foreshore — and while the movement sessions have filled fast, the recovery offering is reason enough to go.
Think sauna, ice baths, physiotherapy, compression therapy and healthy refreshments, all designed to leave you glowing from the inside out, all set against a backdrop of sea air and live tunes. Even better? These recovery experiences are completely free for the community, making it an easy, accessible way to reset by the water.
Where: Jimmy Melrose Park, Glenelg Foreshore
When: 18 April, 7:20am–10:30am
Price: Free recovery sessions
Best For: Free events; Outdoor enthusiasts; Wellness lovers; Community events; Weekend plans
Need to know: BYO towel if planning to use sauna and cold plunge
Pick Your Own Apples, Lenswood
This autumn, grab a basket and head to Pick Your Own at Lenswood. Stroll through sun-dappled orchards, pick your own crisp apples, taste farm treats, and enjoy a full day of fresh air and seasonal charm in the Adelaide Hills.
Where: Lenswood Pick Your Own, 122 Harris Road, Lenswood
When: From February 28, 2026, 9am – 4pm
Cost: Free – $8 entry; pay for what you pick
Best for: Family-Friendly Events, Outdoor Events, Day Trips, Couples, Seasonal Experiences
Coming Soon
Tasting Australia, Various Locations
Tasting Australia presented by Journey Beyond turns South Australia into the ultimate foodie playground from May 8th – 17th. From fire‑pit eats and local wines to chef masterclasses and immersive experiences, the extensive program stretches across the regions and Adelaide, with Victoria Square’s Town Square hub buzzing with flavours, beats and free fun at every turn.
Where: Adelaide & wider South Australia
When: May 8 – 27, 2026
Cost: Free – $3,000
Best for: Food & Drink Lovers, Festivals & Major Events, Wine Experiences, Workshops & Masterclasses, Cultural Experiences
FAQs
Top picks include the Norwood Food & Wine Festival, a lively street party on The Parade packed with South Australia’s best food, wine and live entertainment. AFL Gather Round also takes over the state with nine games and city-wide activations, while Lime Green Festival brings a fresh, sustainability-focused music experience to Adelaide Uni.
Food lovers can head to the Norwood Food & Wine Festival for a full day of local eats, wine and cooking demos. French at Five at 2KW Rooftop offers a more intimate experience, with curated French wine pours in a relaxed rooftop setting.
Cluedo at Her Majesty’s Theatre delivers a playful, theatrical take on the classic board game, complete with twists, turns and multiple endings that keep audiences engaged from start to finish.
Lime Green Festival leads the live music lineup with a fully off-grid event featuring Lime Cordiale, The Dreggs and emerging local talent. Cluedo also adds to the performance calendar with its fast-paced stage production.
AFL Gather Round’s Macca’s Footy Festival at Elder Park is a standout for families, with free activities and a 150m zip line. Pick Your Own Apples in Lenswood is another great option, offering fresh air, orchard walks and hands-on seasonal fun.
The Norwood Food & Wine Festival is a major free event, bringing together food, wine and entertainment in one lively street setting. AFL Gather Round also features free fan zones and the Macca’s Footy Festival, making it easy to enjoy the atmosphere without spending.
Tasting Australia returns from May 8th to 17th, transforming Adelaide and regional South Australia into a hub of culinary experiences. Expect fire-pit dining, chef-led masterclasses and a vibrant Town Square in Victoria Square filled with food, wine and live entertainment.
All event dates, times, and costs are accurate at the time of publication. Please check official event websites for any updates or changes.
Looking for more things to do in Adelaide? Check out 21 Fun Date Ideas in Adelaide. Or if you have little ones to entertain, try the Best Things to Do in Adelaide with Kids.
